Easy-opening envelopes are known which comprise a plastics strip adhered to the inside of the envelope along one of the foldlines thereof. One or more perforations are provided in the material of the envelope at one end of the plastics strip to allow the user to tear the envelope in order to grasp one end of the plastics strip. The plastics strip is then pulled so as to tear along one of the foldlines of the envelope, thus opening the envelope and allowing its contents to be removed.
Reusable envelopes with which the invention is concerned allow a first person (the sender) to send the envelope on an outward journey to a second person (the receiver), who is able to open the envelope, examine the contents, insert new contents, reseal the envelope, and return the envelope on a return journey to the sender, or to some other address.
Reusable envelopes are also known in which one of the flaps (a reuse flap) of the envelope is loosely secured by two or three gum spots in a closed position, under the rear panel of the envelope and also provided with a moistenable adhesive for resealing the flap. When the envelope is received, the receiver is able to break the gum spots which loosely secure the reuse flap in order to remove the contents of the envelope, before moistening the moistenable adhesive and resealing the reuse flap to the outer surface of the rear panel of the envelope.
However, such a reusable envelope suffers from the disadvantage that the gum spots often do not provide a particularly secure closure for the reuse flap on the outward journey of the envelope. It is thus possible for the gum spots to break, and for the contents of the envelope to be lost. It is also possible for tampering with the contents of the envelope to occur. If a party breaks the gum spots, looks at the contents of the envelope and subsequently reseals the reuse flap using new gum spots, the receiver of the envelope may not be aware that the contents of the envelope have been tampered with.